(Copy from Elder Robert Webb)

From the editor's posthumous appendix to the History of the Church of Christ, by Elder Thos. H. Owen, pp. 158-163 (original spellings retained):

SONOMA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA, SEPTEMBER 30, 1859.

Pursuant to previous notice, the council met with the Liberty Church, and organized by choosing Elder T. H. Owen, Moderator, and D. B. Holman, Clerk. After which the messengers from four churches appeared and exhibited their appointment, and their names enrolled as follows: From Santa Rosa Church, Brethren A. Cockrill, William D. Cockrill, A. H. Hayan, and Henry Bever; from Suisun Church, Elders William Kendall, T. H. Owen, and Bro. D. B. Holman; from Liberty Church, Josiah Dorris, Thos. Vanwinkle, and William E. Flanery; from Ione Church, E. Fitheon.

1. Appointed Brethren William E. Flanary, William Kendall, E. Fitheon, T. H. Owen, and D. B. Holman, a committee on organization.

2. Appointed Brethren A. Cockrill, Josiah Dorris, and A. H. Hagan, a committee on correspondence.

3. Appointed Henry Bever, William D. Cockrill, and William E. Flanery, a committee of arrangements.

Adjourned until 9 o'clock tomorrow morning.

SATURDAY MORNING, OCT. 1.

The council met pursuant to adjournment, and after prayer by Elder T. H. Owen, proceeded to business.

lst. Called for the report of the committee of arrangement, which was read and adopted, and committee discharged.

2d. Called for the report of the committee on organization, whereupon William E. Flanery, chairman of the committee, made the following report:

The committee on organization report as follows:

We, the messengers from the churches above named, setting in council for the purpose of consulting together in relation to the most proper course for our denomination in California to pursue in matters not strictly defined in the Scriptures, and not prohibited by the general tenor thereof; and after due deliberation, the council recommend that the different churches meet together by their messengers once in each year, for social worship, mutual religious intercourse, and for the purpose of correspondence--not only among ourselves, but with our denomination of other States and countries; and that this meeting shall be known by the name of the Old School Baptist Corresponding Meeting of California.

Resolved, That in the opinion of this meeting, the great object of religious correspondence between churches and Associations, is not to controvert principles upon which a difference of opinion may exist, but to commune with each other on the subject of our holy religion, and the progress of the same in our denomination. And where union does not exist in sentiment and feeling, Christian communion is impracticable; therefore, union should be the governing principle of church and denominational correspondence.

Resolved, That this meeting will not receive and reciprocate correspondence from any church or association contrary to the above declaration.

Resolved, That each church shall decide on the number of messengers she will send to the Corresponding Meeting, who shall bear a letter containing the name of the church and messengers and other statistics; and when convened and ready for business, the messengers present shall choose a moderator and clerk, who shall perform the usual duties of such officers. The acts of the meeting shall be recorded by the clerk in a book to be kept for that purpose.

Resolved, That this meeting shall send forth a letter of correspondence to our brethren annually, and that the Signs of the Times and Southern Baptist Messenger be adopted as the medium of that correspondence.

Resolved, That any rules or regulations adopted by this meeting shall only be binding on the meeting in its collective capacity, and not on the churches; and that this meeting shall exercise no general powers that are not herein expressly delegated.

The report was received and adopted, and the committee discharged.

3d. Called for the report of the committee on correspondence, upon which A. H. Hagan reported a letter, which was read and received as our Corresponding Letter, and the committee discharged.

4th. Agreed that our Corresponding Meetings hereafter be held in the month of September annually, and that our next meeting be held with the church at Ione Valley, Amador County, Cal., commencing on Friday before the fourth Sunday in September, 1860, and that Elder Wm. Kendall preach the next introductory sermon.

6. The minutes were called for, read and corrected, and adjourned to meet with the church at Ione Valley, at 10 o'clock, on Friday before the fourth Sunday in September 1860.

T. H. OWEN, MODERATOR

D. B. HOLMAN, CLERK.

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ARTICLES OF FAITH OF THE CHURCHES COMPOSING THIS CORRES-
PONDING MEETING

Art. 1. We believe the Old and New Testaments are of Divine authority, and contain the revealed will of God to man and the only infallible rule of faith and practice.

2. We believe in one only true and living God, the Father, the Word, and Holy Ghost; and these three are one.

3. We believe that by one man's disobedience (to wit, Adam,) all his posterity became sinners by nature, and are unable to deliver themselves from their condemned and sinful state by the ability they possess by nature.

4. We believe in the doctrine of Election by Grace, and that God chose His people in Christ before the world was.

5. We believe that sinners are justified in the sight of God only by the righteousness of Christ being imputed unto them; and that good works are the fruits of faith and follow after justification, and are evidences of a gracious state.

6. We believe the atonement to be special for the Church or Body of Christ, the application of which will be made to all the elect by the spirit of God.

7. We believe the atonement to be special for the Church or Body of Christ, the application of which will be made to all the elect by the spirit of God.

8. We believe that Baptism and the Lord's Supper are ordinances of Jesus Christ, and that true believers are the only proper subjects; that Baptism is by immersion only.

9. We believe that no minister has a right to administer the ordinances, but those who are called of God and clothed with authority by the church.

10. We believe in the resurrection of the dead both of the just and unjust, and the general judgment; and that the joys of the righteous and the punishment of the wicked will be eternal.

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The Old School Baptist: Corresponding Meeting of California, now in session with the Liberty Church at Liberty School 14ouse, Sonoma County, California, September 30 and October 1-2, 1859, to our Brethren of other States and countries sendeth greeting:

It affords us much satisfaction while on the shores of time, through the kind mercies of our Heavenly Father, to address you by letter of correspondence.

Dear Brethren: We, as an integral part of that body of Christians who profess to worship God in the Spirit, and have no confidence in the flesh and discard all human merit in the salvation of sinners, having obtained strength from God to stand in our lot, and through great tribulation and trials to defend the truth to the satisfaction of a few, against the many inventions of men, with all the talent that the great redundancy of gold could induce and entice in their cause; and notwithstanding they have decoyed some of our brethren and sisters to join with them, yet we rejoice that there are yet a few in California that have not bowed the knee to modern Baal.

Among our scattered brethren we have been enabled to form four small churches, who have by their messengers convened together to form this meeting, the object of which you will learn by our proceedings accompanying this letter.

Our disconsolate feelings in our scattered situation in California can be better imagined by our brethren than expressed by ourselves. Although our trials have been great, and the gloomy dispensation we have passed through has been grievous, yet we rejoice that our ever faithful God has given us strength and fortitude to oppose the many false ways that have invaded the sanctuary of truth in California, and has enabled us to shun those who walk disorderly and not according to the tradition of the Apostles.

Our meeting has been one of great joy and happiness to our way-worn brethren and sisters. We have realized how good it is for brethren to dwell together in unity. The utmost harmony and good feelings have existed in every department of our meeting.

Now we would say to our brethren in other States and countries, whithersoever these presents shall come, that any Association, corresponding, or Old School meeting, who may feel willing to correspond with us, through the Signs of the Times, or Southern Baptist Messenger, or otherwise, their correspondence will be gratefully received and highly appreciated by your unworthy brethren of California.

Our next corresponding meeting is appointed with our sister church at Ione Valley, in Amador County, Cal., to commence on Friday before the fourth Sunday in September, 1860, when and where we hope to see and hear from as many of our brethren as it may please God to give a desire to correspond with us. Brethren, remember us at the throne of grace.

THOS. H. OWEN, MODERATOR

D. B. HOLMAN, CLERK.